Rail car safety reflector



May 1, 1951 D. M. WILLIAMS 2,551,193

RAIL CAR SAFETY REFLECTOR Filed Nov. 26, 1947 Inventor Fig. 5

David M. Williams WW vm Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICERAIL CAR SAFETY REFLECTOR David M. Williams, Bushnell, 111.

Application November 26, 1947, Serial No. 788,104

8 Claims.

This invention appertains to novel and useful improvements in signaldevices, particularly those adapted to be utilized in conjunction withrail cars, trucks and the like.

An object of this invention is to swingingly mount an extensible armhaving an eccentrically pivoted safety device associated therewith,whereby the safety device will be rotated as influenced by the movementof the swinging arm.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide means for automaticallycleaning the safety device.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide means for limiting thetravel of the swinging arm and restricting it to pendulous movement.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a base havingmeans for detachably anchoring the same to any suitable support.

Another purpose of this invention is to visually signal from both thefront and rear of the safety device.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide an attention-demandingsafety device of the visual type which is extremely inexpensive tomanufacture, being very simple in structure.

Other objects and features of novelty will become apparent in followingthe description of the preferred form of the invention, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational front view of the preferred form of theinvention, showing a complete cycle of operation in phantom;

Figure 2 is a Side view of the invention shown in Figure 1, portionsbeing broken away in section to illustrate details of construction andtaken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and in the direction ofthe arrows;

Figure 3 is a plan View of the invention shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the invention in Figure 2 andtaken on a line 4-4 thereof and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 and inthe direction of the arrows, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the invention shown in Figure 1 andtaken on the line 66 thereof and in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now in detail to the illustrated preferred embodiment of theinvention like reference characters are used throughout to indicatesimilar elements.

This invention has been conceived and developed to provide a device forthe purpose of visually signalling a moving vehicle of any particularclass, such as railway cars, trucks or other similar devices. Of course,the present invention may be adapted for use in conjunction withboats,'ships or the like.

It is within the purview of the present invention to utilize the normalrocking, vibrating and shaking associated with vehicles of the classmentioned above for actuation of the signal, safety device. 1

The general operation of the present invention is as follows:

A swingingly supported arm of an extensible nature is provided withbifurcations at one end thereof. Positioned between these bifurcationsis a signal device of the visual type, which is eccentrically associatedwith the said bifurcations. Upon pendulous or swinging movement of thesaid arm due to the shaking, rocking or other movement of vehicles, thesaid signal device will be rotated due to its eccentricity.

Means for conditioning the said signal device is provided on the saidbifurcations. This means consists primarily of a plurality of brushewhich are detachably associated with each bifurcation and which engagethe faces of the said signal device. As the said device is eccentricallyrotated, the brushes will automatically wipe the faces thereof. Incertain environments this feature is of material importance such as whenthe device is utilized in conjunction with railway cars. Here, soot andother undesired substances adherev to the surfaces of the said signaldevice thereby rendering the same ineffective.

The materials of construction which are utilized in conjunction with thepresent invention are, of course, variable in that this choiceresides:in sound engineering principles and dictates. However, it is Within thepurview of the present invention to utilize a type of commercialplastic.

for use as the signal device which i eccentrically associated with theextensible arm. Luminous material may be utilized in associationtherewith to further assist in visual signalling.

A base I0 is provided of preferably a metallic substance and has meanfor suitably anchoring" the same. This anchoring means may be noted .asa pair of split bearings l2 conventionally:

secured to the base.

small cam slots 20 therein.-

An extensible arm is .associated with the saidsocket l8 and is composedpreferably of two elements 22 and 24, respectively. The said element 22terminates in a ball 26 which is seated in the said socket l8. The upperportion of the said element 22 is engageable with the said slot 20 forrestricting the travel of the said elements 22 and 24 to pendulous,swinging movement.

The said extensible arm is preferably composed of the element 22 whichis tubular and the said element 24 which is engageable with the bore ofthe tubular element 22. A plurality of apertures 28 are provided in thesaid element 24 and a pair of aligned apertures provided in the saidtubular member 22. Any suitable pin or the like may be extended througha selected slot or aperture 28 and through the said apertures in thetube 22. This, of course, retains the elements 22 and 24 in selected,adjusted extensible position.

Bifurcations 30 and 32 respectively, form an extension of the saidelement 24 and a signal device is journaled therebetween. It is notedthat the preferable; signardevice is composed of asuitable commercial.plastic and may be luminous if s desired. Also, eccentricmeans isutilized for journaling this signal device between. the saidbifurcations and 32. This eccentric means consists primarily of anaperture positioned off center in the signal device 34, having pin 38extending therethrough. This pin, of course, is also journaled in asuitable eye member 38 provided on each of the said bifurcations.

As the extensible arm is pendulously swung, the eccentrically mountedsignal device 34 is oscillated about the pivot pin 36 as. an axis.

Means for conditioning the outer surfaces of the said signal device 34is provided. This means is automatically operative upon eccentric,swinging movement of the said signal device 34. The preferentialconstruction is the provision of a plurality of brush elements on thesaid bifurcations 30 and 32 whichcontact or engage the outer faces ofthe said signal device 34. These brush elements mayhave resilient clips40 associated therewith which conveniently and eificaciously engage thesaid bifurcations. This of course renders the said brush elementsreadily detachable. i

While there has been described and illustrated but a preferred form ofthe present invention it is apparent that variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a safety device, a base, an arm, means for swingingly supportingsaid arm on said base, a signal device having a signal surfaceeccentrically pivoted to said arm, and means carried by said arm forcleaning said signal surface during movement of said arm.

2.. In a safety device, a base, an arm, means for swinginglysupportingsaid arm on said base, a signal plate eccentrically pivoted to said arm,means for cleaning said signal plate during movement of said arm, andsaid cleaning means including a brush detachably secured to said arm andcontacting said plate to clean said plate when. said plate moves withrespect to said' arm.

3; Ina safety device, a base, an arm, means for swingingly supportingsaid arm on said base, a signal plate eccentrically pivoted to said arm,means for cleaning said signal plate during movement of said arm, saidcleaning means including a brush detachably secured to said armcontacting saidplate to clean said plate when said plate moves withrespect to said arm, and. means for securing said base to an anchormeans.

4. Means for signaling comprising an. extensible arm, means forswingingly supporting said arm, a signal plate eccentrically pivoted tosaid arm, means for cleaning said plate when said plate moves withrespect to said arm, and said cleaning means being detachably connectedwith said arm and contacting said plate.

5. Signal means including a base, means for dectachably anchoring saidbase, a socket secured to said base, an extensible arm having a ball,said ball being swingingly mounted in said socket, means for limitingthe travel of said arm, a bifurcated extension on said arm, a signaldevice having a visual signal surface, means for eccentrically mountingsaid device between the bifurcations of said extensions, a brushdetachably secured to the bifurcations and operatively contacting saidsignal surface and arranged to clean said surface when said plate moveswith respect to said brush.

6. Signal means including a base, means for detachably anchoring saidbase, a socket secured to said base, an extensible arm having a ball,said ball swingingly mounted in said socket, means for limiting thetravel of said arm, a bifurcated extension on said arm, a signal devicehaving a visual signal surface, means for eccentrically mounting saiddevice between the bifurcations of said extensions, a brush detachablysecured to the bifurcations and operatively engaging said signalsurface, said limiting means including slots in said socket havingportions of said arm engaged therein during the travel of said arm.

7. Signal means including a base, means for detachably anchoring saidbase, a socket secured to said base, an extensible arm having a ball,said ball swingingly mounted in said socket, means for limiting thetravel of said arm, a bifurcated extension on said arm, a signal devicehaving visual signal surfaces, means for eccentrically mounting saiddevice between the bifurcations of said extensions, brushes engagingsaid signal surfaces and detachably secured to the bifurcations, saidlimiting means including slots in said socket with portions of said armdisposed therein during parts of the travel of said arm, and means forretaining said extensible arm in selected extended positions.

8. Signal means including a base, means for detachably anchoring saidbase, a socket secured to said base, an arm having a ball, said ballswingingly mounted in said socket, means for limiting the travel of saidarm, a bifurcated extension on said arm, a signal device having signalsurfaces, means for eccentrically mounting said device between thebifurcations of said extensions, brushes engaging said signal surfacesand detachably secured to the bifurcations, said limiting meansincluding slots in said socket with portions of said arm disposedtherein during parts of the travel thereof.

DAVID M; WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,114,492 Leissing Oct. 20, 19141,192,780- Hebern July 25, 1916 1,559,194 Steele Oct. 27, 1925 1,641,325Fairless Sept. 6, 1927 1,826,715 Baker Oct. 13, 1931 1,910,248 HernandezMay 23, 1933

